गतोऽसि प्रिय पूर्वेद्युर्गंतुमद्य न लभ्यते । वृतस्त्वं नूनमस्माभिर्नात्र तेऽस्ति विचारणा
'You left, dear, yesterday; today you cannot go. Surely you are claimed by us; you have no choice in this matter.'
इत्युक्तो ब्राह्मणः प्राह प्रहसन्बाहुपाशगः । युष्माभिरुच्यते भद्रमनुकूलं प्रियं वचः
Thus addressed, the brahmin, smiling while held in their embrace, said: 'You speak kindly and favorably, dear ones.'
प्रथमाश्रमनिष्ठस्य किंतु नश्येत मे व्रतम् । विद्याभ्यसनशीलस्य नाभूत्पारं गुरोः कुले
'But for one devoted to the first stage of life, my vow would be destroyed; for one intent on study, there is no crossing over in the teacher's house.'
आश्रमे यत्र यो धर्मो रक्षणीयः सुपंडितैः । विवाहोऽयमतो मन्ये न धर्म इति कन्यकाः
'In the hermitage, the duty that must be protected by the learned is this: marriage, therefore, I think, is not dharma here,' said the maidens.
आकर्ण्य विप्रवाक्यानि विप्रमूचुर्वरस्त्रियः । सकलध्वनिसोत्कंठ्यो कोकिलाइव माधवे
Hearing the words of the brahmin, the noble women replied, longing for all sounds like cuckoos in spring.
धर्मादर्थोऽर्थतः कामः कामात्सुखफलोदयः । इत्येवं निश्चयज्ञास्ते वर्णयंति विपश्चितः
'From dharma comes wealth, from wealth comes desire, and from desire arises the fruit of happiness—thus, the wise describe the sequence of certainty.'
सकामो धर्मबाहुल्यात्पुरतस्ते समुत्थितः । सेव्यतां विविधैर्भोगैः स्वच्छाभूमिरियं यतः
Desiring, and due to the abundance of dharma, you arose earlier; let this pure land be enjoyed with various pleasures, for it is yours.
श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं तासां प्राह गंभीरया गिरा । तथ्यं वो वचनं किंतु ममाप्यावश्यकं व्रतम्
Hearing their words, he replied in a deep voice: 'Your words are true, but I too have a necessary vow.'
प्राप्यानुज्ञां गुरोः कुर्वे विवाहकर्म नान्यथा । इत्युक्ताः पुनरूचुस्ताः स्फुटं मूढोऽसि सुंदर
Having obtained the teacher's permission, I will perform the marriage rite, not otherwise.' Thus spoken to, they replied again, clearly: 'You are foolish, O handsome one.'
सिद्धौषधं ब्रह्मधिया रसायनं सिद्धिर्निधिः साधुकुला वरांगनाः । मंत्रस्तथा सिद्धरसश्च धर्मतो मुने निषेव्याः सुधिया समागताः
Perfect medicine, the elixir of Brahma-mind, accomplished wealth, noble families, excellent women, mantra, and the perfected essence—all these, O sage, should be enjoyed righteously by the wise when they come together.
कार्यं नु दैवाद्यदि सिद्धिमागतं तस्मिन्नुपेक्षां न च यांति नीतिगाः । यस्मादुपेक्षा न पुनः फलप्रदा तस्मान्न दीर्घीकरणं प्रशस्यते
If, by fate or other means, success has come, those who follow reason do not neglect it; for neglect does not again yield fruit, therefore prolonging is not praised.
विषादप्यमृतं ग्राह्यममेध्यादपि कांचनम् । नीचादप्युत्तमां विद्यां स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि
Even nectar may be taken from poison, gold from filth, excellent knowledge from the lowly, and a jewel among women from a bad family.
सांद्रानुरागाः कुलजन्मनिर्मलाः स्नेहार्द्रचित्ता सुगिरः स्वयंवराः । कन्या सुरूपाः खलु चारुयौवना धन्या लभंतेऽत्र नरास्तु नेतरे
Girls of pure lineage, full of deep affection, tender-hearted, sweet-voiced, choosing their own husbands, beautiful and in lovely youth—truly, only fortunate men obtain them here, not others.
क्व वयं सुरसुंदर्य्यः क्व भवांस्तापसो बटुः । दुर्घटस्य विधानेन मन्ये धातैव पंडितः
Where are we, divine beauties, and where are you, ascetic youth? By the arrangement of the impossible, I think the Creator is indeed wise.
तस्मादस्मानिदानीं तु स्वीकुर्य्यात्मंगलं भवान् । गांधर्वेण विवाहेन अन्यथा नोपजीवनम्
Therefore, now you should accept auspiciousness for yourself, by Gandharva marriage; otherwise, there is no livelihood.
श्रुत्वा वाक्यं ततः प्राह ब्राह्मणो धर्मवित्तमः । भो मृगाक्ष्यः कथं त्याज्यो धर्मो धर्मधनैर्नरैः
Hearing these words, the Brahmin, most knowledgeable in dharma, spoke: 'O doe-eyed ones, how can dharma be abandoned by those who possess dharma and wealth?'
धर्मश्चार्थश्चकामश्च मोक्षश्चैतच्चतुष्टयम् । यथोक्तं फलदं ज्ञेयं विपरीतं तु निष्फलम्
Dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation—this fourfold set, as stated, is to be known as fruitful; the contrary is fruitless.
नाकालेऽहं व्रती कुर्यामतो दारपरिग्रहम् । न क्रिया फलमाप्नोति क्रियाकालं न वेत्ति यः
I would not take a wife at the wrong time while observing a vow; an act does not bear fruit if one does not know its proper time.
यतो धर्मविचारेऽस्मिन्प्रसक्तं मम मानसम् । तस्माच्छृणुत हे कन्या न समीहे स्वयंवरम्
Since my mind is engaged in the inquiry of dharma, therefore, listen, O maidens—I do not desire a self-choice marriage.
एवं ज्ञात्वाशयं तस्य समीक्ष्यैव परस्परम् । करात्करं विमुच्याथ जग्राहांघ्रिं प्रमोहिनी
Thus understanding his intention, and looking at each other, the enchantress released her hand from his and seized his feet.
भुजौ जगृहतुस्तस्य सुशीला सुस्वरा तथा । आलिलिंग सुतारा च वक्त्रं चुंबति चंद्रिका
The virtuous and sweet-voiced women embraced his arms; Sutara embraced him, and Chandrika kissed his face.
तथापि निर्विकारोऽसौ प्रलयानलसन्निभः । शशाप ब्रह्मचारी ताः क्रोधेनात्यंतमूर्छितः
Still, he remained unmoved, like the fire of dissolution; the celibate cursed them, overwhelmed with extreme anger.
पिशाच्य इव मां लग्ना तत्पिशाच्यो भविष्यथ । एवं तेनाशु शप्तास्तास्तं त्यक्त्वा पुरतः स्थिताः
Like fiendesses, you have clung to me; therefore, you shall become fiendesses. Thus, he quickly cursed them, and they stood before him, abandoning him.
किमेतच्चेष्टितं पापं ह्यनागसि विचेष्टया । प्रियंकृतोऽप्रियंकृत्वा धिक्त्वां धर्मकृतांतकम्
What is this sinful act, committed against one innocent? Having done what is unkind to one who was kind, shame on you, destroyer of dharma!
अनुरक्तेषु भक्तेषु मित्रेषु द्रोहकारिणः । पुंसो लोकोभयोः सौख्यं नाशमेतीति नः श्रुतम्
It is heard by us that happiness is destroyed for a person who acts treacherously among those who are loving, devoted, and friendly, both in this world and the next.
तस्मात्त्वमपि नः शापात्पिशाचो भव सत्वरम् । इत्युक्त्वापि च ता बाला निःश्वसंत्यः क्रुधाकुलाः
Therefore, you too, because of our curse, become a piśāca at once; having spoken thus, those girls, overwhelmed with anger, sighed deeply.
तदेवान्योन्यसंरंभात्तस्मिन्सरसि पार्थिव । ताः कन्या ब्रह्मचारी च सर्वे पैशाच्यमागताः
Then, O king, because of mutual agitation, in that lake, those maidens and the celibate all became piśācas.
स पिशाचः पिशाच्यस्ताः क्रंदमानाः सुदारुणम् । क्षपयंति विपाकांस्तान्पूर्वोपात्तस्य कर्म्मणः
That piśāca and those piśācis, wailing terribly, undergo the consequences of actions previously committed.
स्वकाले प्रभवत्येव पूर्वोपात्तं शुभाशुभम् । स्वच्छायामिव दुर्वारं देवानामपि पार्थिव
At its proper time, the good and bad previously acquired surely manifest, O king, just as one's own shadow, irresistible even for the gods.
क्रंदंति पितरस्तासां मातरस्तत्र तत्र च । भ्रातरश्चैव बालानां दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम्
The fathers and mothers of those girls, and their brothers too, lament here and there; for destiny is difficult to overcome.